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New beekeeper with a few ideas and wanting advice

Hi all. I bought two hives at the beginning of this spring they seem to be doing well. My friend and I were thinking about expanding and splitting them next year. I have been doing a lot of shopping around to find the best deals. I was thinking about using 3 Western Bee 10 Frame Mediums for the hive body with Mann Lake Plastic frames and foundation (might shave them down to fit 11). I was thinking of the same setup for the supers (but only using 9 frames so the bees can draw out the comb further).
Is this a smart setup or should I change it a bit?
Can I still change around the shaved frames with the unshaved frames if something goes wrong?
What do I do for drone comb?
Are there a any better ideas for making the bees happy in the hive bodies and making me happy in the supers?
Are the products good from these suppliers and can I mix them like I want?
If not good products, any suggestions?
I am looking for the most cost effective way to build these hives and still get a good product out of it all.

Just a little background info on me and the hives. Two hives full of Italian bees. Located on about 140+ acres of good river bottom land(full of different plants). We are in Central Illinois so the winters here can be harsh. I got one set of bees from Long Lane Honey Bee Farm and the other set of bees from a small time farmer a few miles down the road from me. His are a bit more protective than the ones from Long Lane. Any extra advice you guys may have would be great as well. I want to start this adventure off right.

Re: New beekeeper with a few ideas and wanting advice

Originally Posted by Goaroundbe

Hi all. I bought two hives at the beginning of this spring they seem to be doing well. My friend and I were thinking about expanding and splitting them next year. I have been doing a lot of shopping around to find the best deals. I was thinking about using 3 Western Bee 10 Frame Mediums for the hive body with Mann Lake Plastic frames and foundation (might shave them down to fit 11). I was thinking of the same setup for the supers (but only using 9 frames so the bees can draw out the comb further).
Is this a smart setup or should I change it a bit?
Can I still change around the shaved frames with the unshaved frames if something goes wrong?
What do I do for drone comb?
Are there a any better ideas for making the bees happy in the hive bodies and making me happy in the supers?
Are the products good from these suppliers and can I mix them like I want?
If not good products, any suggestions?
I am looking for the most cost effective way to build these hives and still get a good product out of it all.

Just a little background info on me and the hives. Two hives full of Italian bees. Located on about 140+ acres of good river bottom land(full of different plants). We are in Central Illinois so the winters here can be harsh. I got one set of bees from Long Lane Honey Bee Farm and the other set of bees from a small time farmer a few miles down the road from me. His are a bit more protective than the ones from Long Lane. Any extra advice you guys may have would be great as well. I want to start this adventure off right.

IMHO saving frames is nothing but snake oil.I f you are going to go with 9 frames to a box made sure the frames are drawn out before you do this. Also bee cover about 80,000 acres.

Re: New beekeeper with a few ideas and wanting advice

Re: New beekeeper with a few ideas and wanting advice

I have been doing a lot of shopping around to find the best deals.

I went foundationless on wooden frames is the best deal I have seen,be sure to wire them if your going to extract and they draw it out pretty quick and put drones where they want them.
9 in a 10 they (my bees)make some that are to wide every inspection has the possibility of rubbing or smashing comb and bees.
Western Bee prices are good but shipping seems high, can you drive to any of the suppliers closer to you it saves a lot.

Re: New beekeeper with a few ideas and wanting advice

If you are going to the Illinois State Beekeepers Assn Fall Meeting in Springfield on Nov 9 there is a few vendors that will be there and offered free delivery to the event. Check the ISBA website for details and vendors (www.ilsba.com).

Re: New beekeeper with a few ideas and wanting advice

Drone comb you can also get from Mann Lake or Dadant made by Pierco it is Green in color and the cell size is larger. Cut outs work too, someone mentioned earlier in the posts. What you do is get a deep frame and a medium plastic foundation an extra frame bottom and put the foundation in a deep frame. Take the extra groove bottom piece cut the ends to fit inside the deep frame and fit it together. The bees with natural draw out drone comb below the extra bottom peice that hold the medium frame foundation in a deep frame. When drawn out you cut it out. This is a way of IPM for mites since mite go to the drone cells first. Primeonly27